You are here

Town and Country Club opens golf course for season

The Valley City Town and Country Club likes to get its golf course open as early as possible each year, usually aiming for a mid-April opening.
This weekend, the club got an early start.
“April 15 is always kind of our target,” Club Manager Brian Yanish said. “We were hoping with the winter we had we could golf in March and it worked out that way this year.”
Following a week of temperatures in the mid-to-high 60 degree range, the club beat its April 15 goal by nearly a month, opening for the season Friday afternoon.
For the time being, the course is being played without tee times, opting instead for a first come, first-serve system. The course is not allowing carts.
Yanish said the club was originally looking to open the course this week. He said there was still ice in cups on the practice greens up until last Wednesday.
It wasn’t until later in the week that the decision was made to open the course, which Yanish credited to warm temperatures Wednesday and Thursday.
The two days gave the course a chance to dry into a playable condition.
“It dried up faster than we ever imagined,” he said.
He said the biggest concern with opening was over damaging the course by playing it too early.
The concern over damage is also keeping golf carts off the course, limiting golfers to those who can walk the course.
The course will be open throughout the week, although Yanish said it will not be open until late morning to allow frost to melt.
Yanish said the course is in good condition, but not comparable to where it will be in June or July.
“We’re not able to get out there and mow or do any grounds work,” he said.
But, for those looking to get out, there’s good news.
“The greens withstood the lack of snow,” he said.